His Only One
by Mrs.HydeHasArrived
Summary: She was the only one he ever felt any care for. His only hope in life. Will she get in the way of his future, or aid him?
1. Chapter 1

He was sitting on the dead log in the woods outside the orphanage reading a book, as he always was in this time of day, when he heard a soft sound. He looked up from his book and saw nothing out of the ordinary. When he tried to return to his reading, he heard the sound again. It was a soft whimpering sound coming from the bushes. Setting his book to the side, he jumped of the log and silently approached the bush, not wanting to warn the sound of his presence.

Slowly moving the leaves from his sight, he saw a little girl curled in a ball, sitting on the stump of an old tree. She was making the whimpering sounds he had heard before and her shoulders were shuddering slightly. Eventually, the little girl looked up to see this young boy staring at her. Her large, wet, chocolate eyes gazed into his icy grey ones.

"What is your name?" he asked of her.

"H-Hermione Granger," she squeaked. Tom had heard of her. She was the new girl at the orphanage, arriving only two weeks ago. "And you are?"

"Tom Riddle," he replied steadily. "Why are you crying?"

As a reply, Hermione raised her hands towards him with her palms facing forward. Tom was confused until he saw the harsh red lines criss-crossing along both her palms. Tom knew who would be responsible for this. Mrs. Cope, the head of the orphanage, had always been a strict woman and had surely wanted to teach Hermione her place. Although it had been a long time since Tom's last punishment, he could still feel the sting on his back from his last punishment. With a long sigh, Tom reached forward to grab onto Hermione's upper arms.

"Come now, you want to wash those as quick as possible to avoid any infections." He picked up the book he had left on the log and took Hermione back inside the orphanage with little hesitation from her, Hermione staring wide-eyed at him the whole time.

When they entered the home, Tom looked both ways to make sure that no one was around before taking Hermione up the stairs to the highest floor and into the bathroom. "Can you wash your hands?" he asked her. Hermione could give no reply. She could not stop staring at the boy.

When Tom was certain he would not be getting any reply, he took Hermione's hands under the water and began to wash them himself. The water stung her hands, but the cooling effect of the water eventually soothed her hands and nerves.

After washing her hands, Tom ushered her into the room across the bathroom and placed her on the small bed in the centre of the room. Once seating Hermione on the bed, Tom began to look through his drawers for something clean that can be used as a bandage. Hermione's eyes began to wander around what she assumed to be Tom's bedroom. His room was in the same form as hers, with a bed in the centre, a nightstand next to it, a cabinet on the far wall, and a small desk under the window. The window seemed to look out onto the woods that Hermione and Tom were just in. Unlike most of the other children in the orphanage who had a special photograph or toy to call their own, Tom's room had no personal touched whatsoever. This would have stricken Hermione as odd, if she had had any herself. There seemed to be some similarities between Tom and herself.

After fumbling through his drawers, Tom had found an old white button-up shirt that he had worn three years ago. Ripping it up, he began to tie a piece of fabric onto each of Hermione's hands. Hermione didn't know what to say and Tom didn't want to say anything. Therefore, they spent their time in silence. When Tom was finished, Hermione said a silent thank you and scurried out of his room and down the stairs.

Tom's eyes followed the strange girl, wondering why he had helped her in the first place.


	2. Chapter 2: The Pact

Tom stayed in his room reading until the bell for supper rang. The food today was nothing special, as usual. There was some leftover stew and a slice of stale bread. Tom went to sit in the far corner of the table, away from all the other children.

When he sat, Tom started to think about the strange little girl again, Hermione Granger. Tom only knew that Hermione had come to this orphanage two weeks ago. He didn't know under what circumstances she had come or what she had done to be punished by Mrs. Cope only two weeks after her arrival.

Hermione looked to be about the same age as Tom. She had brown curly hair and large chocolate eyes. Before today, Tom hadn't taken any notice of her, assuming that she would be as scared of him as the other kids were.

Just then, Tom saw a tray of food being placed across from his own and he looked up to see the very same curly-haired girl he was just thinking of. "Can I sit here?" she asked him nervously.

Tom was shocked that anyone would want to sit next to him that all he can do was nod silently. _Hasn't she heard any of the rumours_, he thought to himself. _Why was she willingly choosing to spend time with me? _

"So how old are you, Tom?" Hermione asked, stopping his mental questioning of the girl.

"I'm nine years old," Tom replied. A surge of happiness sparked in the young girl's eyes. She hardly swallowed her food before exclaiming happily, "me too! We must be the only ones. I haven't met anyone else here our age yet."

It was true that Tom was the only nine-year old in the orphanage. However, he couldn't understand why such a realization would make anyone so happy. He would normally be a little annoyed by such a girl, but Hermione's happiness didn't faze him too much.

"You're right; we are the only nine-year olds here," Tom replied shortly. He wasn't used to conversing with the other children and was very much out of his comfort zone.

"Well, I think this is a sign of sorts. Since we are the only nine-year olds here, we must stick together. The younger kids are too immature, and the older ones are too mean," she said nervously. "So what say you, Tom? Do we have a pact?"

Tom looked up at Hermione, still slightly shocked by this new situation he had found himself in. It was because of this shock that he blurted out, "why?"

"Because I like you," she answered simply. "You helped me today when I didn't ask you to, and I would like to spend some time with you."

Tom was still uncertain about this situation. "I'm not like the other kids," he said quietly. "I don't like to play with toys or race or run."

"I understand," said Hermione kindly. "We don't have to run or race or play with toys. I like to read a lot. Do you like to read, Tom?"

And with that single question, Tom made his decision about this girl. She may be strange, but she was the good kind of strange.

"I love reading…" After thinking quietly, Tom squared his shoulders and faced Hermione once again. "Alright Hermione, we have a deal."

For the next few months, Hermione and Tom had become inseparable. One cannot find one without the other. They began their partnership with sitting in Tom's room, both reading from whatever books they could find in the orphanage's small library. Eventually, Mrs. Cope allowed them to walk together to the library for a few hours every week. Tom was elated by this; Mrs. Cope would never have allowed him to go by himself, stating that it was too dangerous for a young child to go alone. It was then that Tom began to realise the true benefits of this pact.

As time passed, they would eat together, write together, and take all their classes together. Tom taught Hermione to read books that she would not have chosen to read before, saying that they were too scary for her to read, such as _Frankenstein _and _The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. _Hermione had even taught Tom to start playing games that he had never wanted to play in his life, such as racing and acting. Hermione would pretend to be Dr. Jekyll and Tom would always be Mr. Hyde.

They began to rely on each other, as children usually do. Their alliance to each other never faltered either. Whenever one of the older children chose to laugh at Hermione or annoy Tom, the other would be there to help however they can. It was in such a situation that Hermione and Tom grew closer than they ever could have imagined.

Hermione and Tom were in the woods one sunny April day. Tom was reading from a book he had just brought back from their walk to the library and Hermione was playing with some daisies, gathering them onto her grey dress and tying them together to make a crown. Hermione loved moments like these, where it was only her and Tom lying together in their woods.

"I'm going to get a glass of lemonade. Would you like one, Hermione?" Tom asked, rising from his spot next to her.

"I'm fine thank you," Hermione replied, still concentrating on her flowers. On his way inside, Tom couldn't help but chuckle at Hermione's girliness, playing with flowers and dressing up. She may have loved to read and race and fight, but she was still a girl at heart.

Almost immediately after Tom had left, a group of eleven-year old boys strutted towards Hermione. "Oy, Chipmunk!" they called to her. The eleven-year olds were always the worst towards her, naming her Chipmunk due to her large front teeth. Normally, Hermione had Tom to help her manage them, but with him inside getting a glass of lemonade, Hermione would be left vulnerable.

"Why are you always acting so weird?" one of the boys asked her. He seemed to be the leader of their little group. "Playing with that weird kid, and reading all the time. You're so weird!" The other boys laughed as if he had said something extremely funny. Hermione wanted Tom to come back soon, for she knew how violent these boys can be.

"Are you crying? You're such a weird girl! Did we hurt your feelings?" another boy teased her. The boys kept coming closer, and she knew that they could do something to her before Tom comes back.

"Leave me alone," Hermione tried to say strongly. "Tom and I are not weird!" Her anger was rising as the boys continued to taunt both her and Tom, which she just couldn't allow. Suddenly, she felt all her anger build up, more than it had before when the boys would only make fun of her. Her anger kept building up and up until it all accumulated onto her hand.

She looked up at the leader, who was bending down in front of her face and mocking her. She lifted her hand and without her control, a strange wave of energy left her hand and caused the boy to land a yard away from her. All the other boys stared at their fallen leader and back at the strange girl. They all ran away as fast as they could.

When they all left, and Hermione felt her anger recede, she looked up to find Tom at the doorstep, holding onto his glass of lemonade and staring at Hermione in shock.

She knew it. She knew she was too weird to make friends here; especially with someone as special as Tom Riddle. With tears in her eyes, Hermione ran inside, avoiding Tom and climbing up the stairs and into her room. She blocked the door with a chair and hid under the covers of her bed. She could hear Tom banging at her door, yelling her name, but she wouldn't open up. It stayed this way for hours, until it was bed time.

Thinking that Tom had left already, Hermione crept off her bed and opened the door so that she can go into the bathroom and wash her face. When she opened the door, she saw Tom sitting there, nodding off to sleep. _Why didn't he leave already? Did he skip supper to sit here,_ Hermione asked herself.

When he felt the door open, Tom shot up and hugged Hermione.

"Hermione! Why did you run away from me? I'm sorry I didn't say anything, I was just shocked!" Tom kept speaking to her and asking her questions, but Hermione heard none of them. All she could think about was the fact that Tom was with her.

He moved them into the room and closed the door behind them. Taking her hand, he led her onto the bed and sat across from her. "What's going on, Hermione?" When Tom asked this of her, Hermione suddenly told him everything.

About how she was sent to a new orphanage because the last one deemed her "too strange" to stay there. How her whole life, she could do weird things when angered or saddened. How the eleven-year old boys were mocking her and Tom and how she just couldn't handle their ridicule any longer and worked her "strangeness" on their leader.

By the time she was done, Hermione had begun to cry again and she bent her head down in shame, not wanting to see Tom as he left her room and her life for good. Instead, she felt his fingers touching her chin, edging her to lift her head up and look at him. When she did, she saw a pure smile on Tom's face. The type of smile he reserved for her eyes only. He wiped the tears from her cheeks with his sleeve and looked into the girl's chocolate brown eyes.

"If you are strange, Hermione, let us be strange together," he whispered to her and hugged her once again.

Hermione had never felt this amount of happiness in her life, and as it turns out, neither had Tom. For the first time in their lives, they had found their equal.


	3. Chapter 3: Magic

**AN: So, I figured it's about time I said something. I love the Tom and Hermione pairing and I figured it was about time I put my ideas on paper. Now that you've all gotten a taste of my writing, I would like to hear your ideas and opinions. Based on what you've read so far, what are your hopes with this story?**

**Of course, the Harry Potter franchise does not belong to me. All known characters are of the ownership of J.K. Rowling.**

After that sunny April day, Tom Riddle and Hermione Granger's relationship grew to more than just a mere pact or friendship. They had formed a bond that couldn't be broken by petty problems. They felt that they can share everything with each other, and eventually, they both started to embrace that strangeness that bonded them together.

Almost every night at bed time, Hermione would sneak upstairs to the boy's floor. Without knocking, she would slip into Tom's room where he would be waiting with various objects lying on his bed. They would usually consist of small things, such as a button, a stone and a flower. Every night, they would practice the strangeness on these objects. They would make the button float, or make the stone grow larger. Tom always had an affinity to fire and Hermione would watch on with morbid curiosity as Tom would engulf the flower into flames. When seeing this, Hermione would feel a small pang of sorrow that such a beauty would turn to ash.

Eventually they would both grow tired of their activities and slip into Tom's bed to sleep for the night. Before sleeping, they would talk about their day, what they would like to dream of that night, and what they hoped tomorrow would bring. However, no amount of hoping and dreaming would have prepared them for what that specific tomorrow would bring them.

It had been two years since Tom and Hermione had first met. Together, they had spent two birthdays without anyone else disrupting their celebrations, and that day would be their third birthday spent together. Hermione was to turn eleven years-old that day, the twenty-first of July. As per usual, Tom and Hermione walked to the library together hand-in-hand, discussing anything and everything. When they reached the library, Hermione would leave Tom to go to speak to the librarian, while Tom went to whatever section of the library he was most interested in that day.

"Ah, welcome Hermione! Happy birthday!" Mr. Harrison, the librarian, exclaimed. He adored Hermione from the moment he had first seen the little girl in his library two years ago, with her curly hair and large eyes. Having no children of his own, Mr. Harrison always pampered Hermione with whatever she liked.

"Good morning, Mr. Harrison," Hermione beamed at the older man. "Thank you. I feel more mature already."

"Well, if you were any more mature, you'd be as old as I am, my dear," the man joked. "As usual, on special days such as this one, you may choose whatever book you would like to take home with you to keep."

Hermione was always so ecstatic whenever she heard those words that she ran towards her favourite shelf with her shoes almost falling off.

After looking through the shelves for half an hour, Hermione still couldn't decide what book to choose. Tom had already chosen the books he wanted to borrow, and was waiting patiently for Hermione to do the same.

"Really, Hermione, it'll make no difference. Just go to the man and tell him you want more than one book. He's so in love with you that he'd give you this whole library if you asked him," Tom mumbled begrudgingly.

"Honestly, Tom. You don't think I'd actually ask that of him, do you? Mr. Harrison is already so kind as to let me take one. I cannot take advantage of his kindness."

Tom chuckled and spoke to himself, "I would." The man was never as fond of Tom as he was of Hermione. He couldn't pinpoint what it was exactly but there was something odd about Tom that Mr. Harrison didn't like.

Hermione had finally chosen to take _Treasure Island_. It was not the typical book Hermione would have chosen, but she enjoyed the adventure. Shortly after choosing her book, Tom and Hermione left the library to grab a small dessert that Mrs. Cole only allowed the children to buy on their birthday. Tom and Hermione would always split their desserts in half and share with one another.

After visiting the dessert shop, they slowly made their way back to the orphanage where Mrs. Cope would set up a little dance floor for the children to dance on, and then Tom and Hermione would continue up the stairs to Tom's room to spend some time together alone. However, when they entered the orphanage, there was something strange and unexpected- or rather, some_one_. At the door, speaking to Mrs. Cole was a tall older man with grey hair and an auburn beard. Upon seeing Tom and Hermione, the older man turned towards them and smiled apprehensively.

"Tom, this is Mr. Dumbledore. He says he is a relative of yours. He would like to speak to you. Take him upstairs to your room." Hermione tensed and grabbed tightly to Tom's hand, not wanting him to leave her. When Mr. Dumbledore saw her tense grip, he smiled softly to her.

"No need to fret, my dear. You are welcome to join Tom and myself in our conversation. Shall we?" Mr. Dumbledore quickly thanked Mrs. Cole and the three of them began their climb up the stairs to the highest floor.

When they arrived to Tom's bedroom, Mr. Dumbledore sat on the desk chair while Tom and Hermione climbed onto the bed. Mr. Dumbledore smiled at the two children, one looking at him with curiosity, the other with scepticism.

"You're a doctor, aren't you?" Tom suddenly asked, breaking the silence.

"No, I am a professor," Mr. Dumbledore replied steadily.

"I don't believe you. She wants us looked at. She thinks we're different."

"Well, maybe you are different."

"We're not mad!" Hermione exclaimed, causing Mr. Dumbledore to stare at her and Tom to hold her hand tightly.

"Hogwarts is not a place for mad people," he replied. "Hogwarts is a school… of magic." Tom and Hermione both looked at the man with a look of confusion and disbelief. A school of magic? Can that strangeness they possess have a name? How many people possessed such a power?

"You two can do things, can't you? Things that other children can't?" This question made both Hermione and Tom think about their years together. How they had stayed up late to move buttons and set flowers on fire.

"We can," Hermione replied after a moment of silence. "We can move objects without touching them. We can make things happen to kids that are mean to us."

"Who are you?" Tom asked the man hesitantly.

"I'm like you two," the old man replied. "I'm different. If you two would like to learn how to strengthen and control your magic, then I would like to help you."

Hermione stared into Tom's icy eyes, knowing that he would like to take his strengths to another level. She also knew that he would take any chance to leave the orphanage and everyone in it behind, which frightened her.

"Would Hermione and I stay together in this school? Will you take her away from me?" Tom asked the old man, knowing that this answer was what Tom would base his decision on.

"You may be sorted into different houses, but nothing will physically keep you two away during the day time," he answered. Tom quickly looked into Hermione's eyes to see what she thought of this situation. When Hermione gave him a slight nod, Tom turned to the man and nodded.

Mr. Dumbledore smiled to the children and stood up. "Excellent. I will come back in a month's time and we shall finalize the arrangements then." On his way out the door, the man turned around and looked at Hermione. "And, happy birthday, Miss Granger."

With a twinkle in his eyes, he turned around and left the room, shutting the door behind him and allowing the boy and girl time to realise that their lives have been changed forever. He could not help but marvel at the bond that the boy and girl held. It was unlike the regular kinship of children their age. They relied on each other so heavily, as if they can't go on without the other by their side. Dumbledore pondered about Tom Riddle and Hermione Granger, and wondered to himself what powers this bond would be able to withstand.

**AN: I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I'm planning on posting one chapter every Saturday. Please review and tell me your opinion and critiques.**

**~MAH**


	4. Chapter 4: A New World

**AN: So, I hope you all enjoy this new chapter. If anyone has any questions, concerns, or critiques, make sure to review after reading. I of course don't own Harry Potter; the honour goes to Rowling.**

For the next month, Tom and Hermione continued their regular routines, but anyone observing them would be able to see the difference in their air and purpose. They continued to go to the library, but with the purpose to learn more about the sciences and the history of the world. They continued their late-night activities, but with the purpose to perfect their abilities before arriving at Hogwart's School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. When Tom and Hermione spoke before going to sleep, they spoke of their curiosities about the school, what they dream their school will be like, and their hopes about their teachers and the school's library.

The month passed with Hermione and Tom filling their time preparing for the arrival of Professor Dumbledore, as they had learnt to call him. He sent them a letter with an owl informing them of the date and place of their rendezvous. When the time came, Hermione and Tom left twenty minutes before the mentioned time due to their excitement.

They arrived at the dessert shop they visited on Hermione's birthday to find Professor Dumbledore purchasing a few desserts for himself. He eventually noticed the children outside waiting for him and went outside to greet them.

"Ah, Mr. Riddle, Miss Granger. Do forgive me for being distracted by such a beautiful little sweets shop. They have the tastiest éclairs here," Professor Dumbledore said with a slight sparkle in his eyes. Hermione gave the professor a slight grin, while Tom looked at him with slight confusion.

"Now then, shall we be off?" Dumbledore led the way through the streets and stopped at a curb. Tom and Hermione stood behind him, confused as to why the man had stopped suddenly. He then proceeded to give each of them some coins. These were coins that neither Tom nor Hermione had ever seen before. Before either could ask the professor about the strange currency, a large bus stopped right in front of them, seemingly out of nowhere. A balding man opened the door to the bus and greeted the professor with familiarity.

"Ah, Professor Dumbledore! How d'you do, sir?" The balding man beamed at the older man with complete respect.

"Hello, Henry. I'm very well, thank you. How's your family faring in your new home?" Dumbledore asked him with interest.

"As good as can be expected, sir. With this war happenin' we have no choice but to move aroun'." _What war is he speaking of,_ Hermione thought to herself. Looking at Tom, she saw the same confusion setting on his face.

With the mention of the wars, the twinkle in Dumbledore's eyes waned. "But where are me manners? Step righ' in sir!" Henry stepped aside and allowed Professor Dumbledore and his companions to settle into theirs seats. Professor Dumbledore told Henry of their destination, the Leaky Cauldron- a place the children had never heard of- and allowed Hermione and Tom to pay for their tickets using the odd coins he had given them.

This bus was nothing like any of the buses Mrs. Cole had taken them in. This bus had enough space for fifty people to sit comfortably. It was whizzing through the streets of London so quickly that all the seats were teetering back and forth. Tom wondered what powers were in play to allow them to ride so quickly and not be harmed at all.

After a few minutes of Professor Dumbledore conversing with Henry, and the bus racing through the streets far quicker than physically possible, the bus made an abrupt stop in an empty alleyway. Dumbledore thanked Henry and the three of them got off the bus and entered the Leaky Cauldron. Upon entering, many people greeted Professor Dumbledore and began to converse with him. Hermione realised that the old man must have some authority in this magical world.

"Now, if you may all excuse me, I must be on my way. It was very nice to see you all," Dumbledore said to the clients of the Leaky Cauldron and continued on his way to the back of the shop with Hermione and Tom in tow. He opened a door and stepped into a very small area behind the shop. Taking out an object- which looked like an intricately carved stick to the children- Dumbledore began tapping randomly at bricks, and these bricks began to part to the side to allow the three of them entrance to a whole other world.

This world looked nothing like the ordinary world Tom and Hermione lived in. The citizens dressed differently and wore their hair in the wrong fashion. The stores around them advertised products that neither of the children ever knew people desired. Tom and Hermione were in complete awe. What mysteries lied in this knew world they were about to embark in?

Professor Dumbledore first took them to a store on their right that sold various peculiar items, such as cauldrons, quills, and parchments. After that, they arrived at a book store to buy their textbooks for the year. They took an extra amount of time there, due to the new subjects that both Hermione and Tom had to absorb. Neither had ever read a book about transfiguration or potions before.

They eventually reached a pet shop of sorts where Professor Dumbledore proceeded to tell them of Hogwarts' policy on animals. A student was allowed a rat, a cat, an owl, or a toad. Hermione almost immediately spotted a small orange and red cat with a scrunched face that she knew she must have. As for Tom, none of the aforementioned animals appealed to him in anyway. The thought of certain other animals made Tom turn around and face Dumbledore while Hermione was across the store finding supplies for her new pet.

"I can speak to snakes," Tom said quietly to Professor Dumbledore, causing the old man to stare at him with slight bewilderment. "I know Hermione can't, but is that considered normal for someone like me?"

Dumbledore continued to stare at the young boy and was about to respond when Hermione returned with her new cat. Once the purchase was made they left the store, with Dumbledore not taking the slightest glance at Tom. At that moment, Tom knew that there was something about the old man that he did not like.

Their final stop was to an old, dusty shop named _Ollivander's_. All the walls were filled with rows open rows of small narrow boxes stacked haphazardly on top of one another in shelves. Behind the counter, a shuffling of feet could be heard behind some more shelves. An old man appeared with a slightly dazed expression on his face.

"Ah, good afternoon, Albus. How may I be of service to you?" Unlike the other folks who greeted Dumbledore, this man seemed to only want to talk business; Tom appreciated this fact greatly.

"Good afternoon, Garrick. May I present to you Miss Hermione Granger and Mr. Tom Riddle. They are here to receive their wands." At Dumbledore's words, Ollivander looked at the two children with complete concentration. Focusing on Hermione, he looked at her for a few moments and turned abruptly to search for something in a far shelf. Shuffling back towards them, he opened the box and handed Hermione the wand inside it.

"Made of willow with a unicorn hair core. Give it a try, Miss Granger," he spoke to Hermione. Confused, Hermione gently began moving the wand back and forth. Suddenly, the vase near the window broke and Hermione's cat started to hiss in its cage. Placing the wand back on the counter, Hermione looked down, blushing furiously. Tom would have made a slight joke to ease Hermione's nerves had he not been confused as to what had just occurred.

"That happens regularly, Miss Granger," the old shopkeeper said while repairing the window with his own wand. "It is not your fault if the wand does not choose you. Allow it to feel you, and then you'll know if it's the right one. After all, it chooses you."

After concentrating on Hermione for a moment, Mr. Ollivander grabbed a box at the bottom of the shelf right behind him. "This wand is old, but strong; made of vine with a dragon heartstring core and is ten and three quarter inches long." After the brief description, Hermione held the wand and immediately felt warmth growing from her hand that sent tingles throughout her body. Before even waving it, Hermione knew this wand was for her. When she waved it, flowers grew on the counter in front of Mr. Ollivander. The man smiled to the little girl for the first time since she met him.

"Congratulations, Miss Granger. That is a very loyal wand you have acquired. Although old, it is very talented in many branches of magic." Hermione looked down at her new wand with curiosity and happiness. The strangeness she possessed-that magic- seemed to grow exponentially now that she had a source to expel it from.

Mr. Ollivander then looked at the young boy who was looking at Hermione's wand in awe. Tom saw how happy and excited Hermione was when she received her wand. Unfortunately, it had taken a lot longer for him to find the right wand. After the fifth wand, Tom became nervous that there may not be a wand that was right for him.

After quickly repairing the shelf that Tom blasted and rearranging the thrown boxes onto it, Mr. Ollivander crept to the farthest shelf in the shop. He looked at it with utter concentration before eventually handing it to Tom. "Yew wand, thirteen and a half inches long, with a phoenix feather core." Mr. Ollivander quickly glanced at Professor Dumbledore, which made Tom feel suspicious of the two men.

When Tom grabbed the wand, he felt shocks going through his right arm and extend to the long wand in his hand. Tom rolled it on his fingers, feeling the wand adapting to his magic. He had never felt this much power in his control before, and Tom liked it.

When Tom quickly waved the wand and small sparks of fire came out of the end, Mr. Ollivander exchanged another glance with Dumbledore. _What is going on between these two,_ Tom thought to himself.

"Congratulations, Mr. Riddle. To be quite honest, I did not think I would live long enough to see the owner of this particular wand. However, if I may give you a word of caution? This wand is indeed a very powerful wand, as I am sure you have already felt. You must learn to control this wand's power, and not manipulate it." Tom looked sceptically at the old man, wondering why he looked so nervous.

"Thank you very much, Garrick," Dumbledore said to Ollivander after Tom and the old man's tense stare. "We will be sure to teach him to do so at Hogwarts."

It was long until Hermione and Tom were returned to the orphanage. Professor Dumbledore let them know that he would return in a week to take them to their new school.

"Make sure you pack everything you need. You won't be coming back to this home for another ten months."

At the man's words, Tom and Hermione both felt something they've never felt before. They stood taller and breathed easier. The thought of not coming back to the orphanage and having a life outside of it was giving them immense pleasure.

After Dumbledore greeted Mrs. Cole at the door and left, the two children ran up to Hermione's room to let the cat familiarize itself with her room and to observe their new books and supplies. They were both excited to find out what Hogwart's School of Witchcraft and Wizardry would offer them in a week's time.


	5. Chapter 5: Welcome

**AN: This chapter comes late, due to school and personal acts of benevolence, because I am just a good person like that. Hope you all like this chapter, and review for questions, concerns, or critiques**.  
><strong>I do not own Harry Potter; the honour goes to J.K. Rowling.<strong>

Neither Tom nor Hermione had ever felt that queasy feeling of nervous excitement before that week. They spent all their time pent up in their rooms, reading and dreaming and reading some more. They counted down the hours until Professor Dumbledore would appear at the orphanage's doorstep and take them away to their new lives. As the children would come to find out, that nervous excitement they felt on their first year would continue to appear every year before leaving the orphanage. They tried to read as much of their textbooks as possible, understanding the fact that they would probably have a disadvantage over the other students since they only ever lived in muggle society.

Their first year would consist of the "basic subjects", as they were told by Dumbledore. Their classes would be introductory and as the years went on, they would be able to specialize in their interests. The thought of increasing their knowledge and excelling at school excited the boy and girl.

When the week finally passed, and Tom and Hermione waited at the doorstep with their trunks stacked on top of each other and Hermione's cat in her cage, neither of the children were able to feel any loss at leaving the orphanage. Mrs. Cole had fed them and schooled them well, but they did not feel any personal connection to the grey building they lived in for many years. Even at that moment where they could see the older man walking up the street towards them, neither can feel anything but that nervous excitement yet again.

After engaging in common pleasantries with Mrs. Cole, and the children bidding their matron farewell, the three of them were on their way to the Knight Bus once again. On the bus, Professor Dumbledore handed a ticket to Hermione and Tom for them to use when they reached King's Cross railway station. He told them to find the platform labelled nine and ten, and run between it. When they were dropped off at King's Cross, Henry unloaded their baggage and left them at the railway's entrance. Dumbledore stood on the last step of the bus, smiling down at the two children.

"I'm afraid our journey ends here for now, but it is no matter, for we shall reconvene in a few hours' time. Good luck on your way, and be sure to make some new acquaintances." The Knight Bus rode off with the old man on the last step, curiously gazing at the pair.

Turning towards the railway station, Hermione and Tom began walking through the station to find their train that would leave in an hour. They quickly found the platform Dumbledore described, but were hesitant to run at it. _What if we crash into it, _thought Tom. _The man will make us look like fools in front of these people. _ Looking at each other, Hermione realised that Tom was not prepared to risk looking foolish in front of everyone. She gathered her courage and began to jog straight into the platform. She shut her eyes tightly, dreading the impact that was surely to come. When she didn't feel any pain after a few seconds, she opened her eyes and found herself in a new train station.

She quickly moved to the side and waited for Tom to come through the platform. While waiting, she couldn't help but to wonder how much of the world has been hidden from her throughout her life. _Magic is an incredibly curious thing_, she thought to herself.

When Tom came through the platform, the two quickly boarded the train. Seeing as how there was about an hour left until the train left the station, it was still fairly empty and Hermione and Tom quickly found an empty compartment to lounge in. Hermione let her cat out of its cage and the children began to read their books. While reading, they could hear people outside their closed compartment begin to enter the train. No one thought to bother the two solemn children, even after all the compartments had begun to fill up. It seemed that Hermione and Tom would be spending the trip with only each other, which pleased them both.

They heard the whistle being blown outside, indicating that the train was about to leave the station. Hermione looked away from her book and out the window to see a crowd of parents and young children bidding farewell to their children and siblings, whom they would probably not be seeing for another few months. Some of the mothers had tears in their eyes and held tissues as they waved, finding it hard to let go of their little boys and girls. Hermione looked at Tom to find him still entranced in his transfiguration book.

"Are you nervous," she asked Tom quietly, hoping to not surprise him. "Are you nervous about the classes, or meeting new people, or anything?"

Tom looked at Hermione, knowing that these were all things she had been fretting about for weeks. "A little," he responded. "I worry that there will be boys like Michael and Geoffrey, only there to bother us or that the teachers will be unfair to us. I am nervous about many things, but I am also excited. I want to see our new classrooms and explore the library. I want to be able to use the spells I have learnt and discover new creatures I've read about. This is a new beginning for us, Hermione, and if we stay together, I know we'll have a wonderful time."

By the end of his speech, Tom was sitting next to Hermione and holding her hand. The crease in her eyebrows had left her face and all that was left was a gentle smile directed towards Tom. They felt the train starting to move, and looked out the window in time to see all the waving families fall out of view.

With Hermione's fears waned and the pair's excitement continually increasing, the train ride seemed to take much longer to arrive at their new school. They quickly changed into their uniforms at the beginning of the trip and attempted to read once again. Hermione was too distracted by the forests and hills they were passing, choosing to watch the greens rushing by and hold her cat. They would sometimes look at the students passing by their compartments, curious if anyone would choose to speak to the pair. However, throughout the trip, no one disturbed them.

When the train finally arrived at the station, Hermione put her cat back into its cage and onto the shelves with their other luggage, which they were told would be brought up to their rooms. Tom and Hermione left their compartment and stepped off the train to group themselves near the other first years. From there, they were instructed to follow the school's caretaker, who would take them to the boats and onto Hogwarts grounds.

In comparison to the long train ride, the remaining distance to the school passed by in a blink of an eye. One moment they were in the boats, and the next they were directed into the castle's great hall by Professor Dumbledore.

"Welcome, young first years," Dumbledore greeted them inside the hall in front of their older peers and teachers. "Before taking your seats, you will be sorted into one of the school's four houses; they are Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, Gryffindor, and Slytherin. All of these houses are equally brilliant, and you should all be honoured in whatever house you will be placed in. Best of luck to you all." Without pausing, Dumbledore began to call the first years up randomly.

Some were placed in Slytherin or Ravenclaw; most were placed in Gryffindor or Hufflepuff. Hermione hadn't given any thought to what house she would specifically want to be placed in; only that she wished to be placed in the same house as Tom. Tom, on the other hand, had given some thought to his placing. Looking back at the tables, the one that caught his eye the most was the table filled with students decorated in green. They looked more regal in comparison to the other tables.

"Mr. Tom Riddle!" Dumbledore announced. Tom squared his shoulders and walked towards the man with his back straight. Sitting down on the stool, Dumbledore placed the enchanted hat on the boy's head, which would announce to the school his placement.

_What an interesting mind you have, young man. Very intelligent, I see, but also very cunning. You would do well in either Ravenclaw or Slytherin; but the thing that strikes me the most about you is your lineage. It has been a great while indeed since I was last placed on top of a Gaunt. Hmm… Marvolo is your given name, correct? Well, this explains everything…_

After a moment of quiet in Tom's head, he could hear the voice on top of his head shout, "Slytherin!"

Smiling, he looked towards Hermione in the crowd to see her with a grin on her face. Internally, however, Hermione was praying that she would also be placed in Slytherin as well. Looking at the table that Tom had just joined, Hermione realised that the people there didn't seem very welcoming.

More students were called up to the hat, until there were only Hermione and two other students left standing. Tom had begun to fear the worst. The odds were against them being in the same house, he realised. What if they would not be together?

Dumbledore called Hermione's name and she, like Tom, squared her shoulders and walked steadily towards the hat.

_You acquire many traits that each founder had held dear. You are very intelligent, brave, and cunning. What strikes me the most is your loyalty- a very strong Hufflepuff trait. However, what worries me is where your loyalties lie. _

_Please,_ she directed her thoughts toward the hat, _please send me to Slytherin. I have to be there._

_Yes, I felt that connection in both yours and Mr. Riddle's head. However, if I am to let the Fates spindle the future, I cannot tangle their thread. _

"In the end, the best for you would be… Ravenclaw!" At his announcement, Hermione looked straight at Tom to see disappointment and sadness mirroring her own feelings. With heavy legs, Hermione made her way towards the Ravenclaw table with a slight frown on her face. Looking at the students near her, she realised that most of them were male. Hermione can only see a handful of girls at the table from where she was sitting. She kept a small distance from her peers, not wanting to engage in conversation at that sullen moment.

Tom was devastated to hear the hat's announcement. He had kept some hope that although the odds were against them, Hermione would be placed in Slytherin. _What could this mean,_ he asked himself. _Hermione and I have always been together. Why would she be placed in Ravenclaw, and I in Slytherin?_

"So, what are you then?" Tom heard a boy next to him ask. He realised that he must have been trying to catch his attention for some time.

"Excuse me?" Tom simply replied.

"What are you-a pureblood, a half-blood?" The boy had slick white-golden hair and a pale complexion.

"I don't know what that means. What's a pureblood?"

"A pureblood is someone with only magic blood in their ancestry. Their blood had never been tainted by muggles. How can you not know what that is? Are your parents muggles?"

"I'm an orphan," Tom replied to the outspoken boy. "I don't know if I'm pureblooded or not."

"Well, you're sorted in Slytherin, so you must be at least half-blood. Most Slytherins come from pureblooded families, such as myself. I'm Abraxus Malfoy."

"Tom Riddle." Tom did not know what to make of the boy. He was definitely proud and outspoken, but pride was not always a negative quality.

Tom began to tune out Abraxus as he continued to speak of his impressive lineage, and looked at the Ravenclaw table. He saw how depressed Hermione became and began feeling uneasy himself. Excusing himself from the muted conversation, Tom made his way towards his morose friend.

He tapped her on the shoulder and sat down next to her. Everyone around them was busy introducing themselves and feasting to notice the Slytherin conversing with the Ravenclaw.

"Don't look so upset, Hermione," he began softly. "We'll still see each other."

"I tried to convince it," she said quietly with tears in her eyes. "I told the hat that I wanted to be placed in Slytherin, but it wouldn't let me!" The tears were starting to trail down her cheeks, and Hermione ducked her head down to hide her face. Just as he did two years ago when he discovered her "strangeness", Tom lifted her face by the chin, wiped the tears off of her face and gave her a slight smile.

"I know you had tried your best for us to stay together, but we are not apart. Look at me- I'm sitting right beside you. I may not be sleeping in the same bed as you, or be in the same classes as you, but I'll be here in this castle. We'll meet in the library to do our homework together. You can sit beside me during lunch and in any classes we share. We will still be together, Hermione. I don't want to see you cry."

Hermione wiped her eyes and gave Tom a wide smile. She could always count on him to help her in a time of need. She saw the first years next to her stand up and begin to move towards the entrance of the great hall. Hermione assumed it was time to head to their rooms and gave Tom a hug for good measure. After he saw Hermione safely leave the great hall, he joined his peers and began the trek towards the Slytherin common room located in the dungeons.

When Tom was comfortably placed in his room and all of his new roommates had fallen asleep, he began to wonder, _what had the hat meant when it said Gaunt?_

__**AN: Please review, and tell me what you think.**

**~MAH**


	6. Chapter 6: Marvolo Gaunt

**AN: I don't own Harry Potter; the honour belongs to J.K. Rowling.  
>I hope everyone enjoys this chapter. Things will be picking up more, now that the basis has been set. Please review, any compliments or criticisms are appreciated.<strong>

Hermione and Tom had grown to believe that Hogwarts was their true home. At this school, they were given everything they had ever wanted. There was no limit to the amount of knowledge they can learn or the books they can read. There was never soggy bread or lumpy porridge to eat. They were free to be happy at this school. However, that happiness came with a price; even though Tom and Hermione had tried as much as they could to stay together constantly, it was an impossible feat. Since most of the classes in first year were mandatory, Hermione and Tom shared only their potions class. Of course, they were inseparable during that class and during meals. They would usually convene in the library every weekend to work on their homework and catch up on what they missed of each other's lives.

To any other pair of friends, seeing each other that much would be sufficient. However, to Tom and Hermione, who before coming to Hogwarts had spent practically every conscious and unconscious minute near each other, this separation had a strong affect.

Without Hermione being constantly near him, Tom had to find other ways to occupy himself. He had made some new acquaintances, including Abraxus Malfoy, whom he had met on his first day of school. He also focused on what the Sorting Hat had called him on his first day. He referred to him as Marvolo Gaunt. He knew that Marvolo was his middle name, but what had it meant when it said Gaunt? Tom had told Hermione about it, but she did not know of the name either. Tom spent much of his spare time looking through various books in the Hogwarts library for any reference to the name Gaunt.

On the last week of school, Tom had found a book named _Nature's Nobility: A Wizarding Genealogy. _It was quite a large book, and Tom figured that he probably would not be able to finish it before leaving at the end of the week. Hiding the book in his cloak, Tom stepped out of the library and started making his way towards the Slytherin dungeons. When he was on the stairs leading to the first floor, he noticed Hermione walking towards him, wearing the smile she always had for him.

"Hi, Tom! When I didn't see you during dinner, I had gotten worried. Are you feeling unwell?"

Smiling back at his friend, he replied, "No, I feel fine. I just thought I'd go to the library to look for a book to help me and I think I found one."

Hermione linked her arm through Tom's and looked at the book he was holding. "_Nature's Nobility: A Wizarding Genealogy_; this is a very large book, Tom. Are you sure you can finish it before leaving?"

"I don't think I can, but I could just take it with me when we go to the orphanage." Tom felt a tug on his arm and looked up to find Hermione standing still, staring at him in shock.

"What? You want to steal a book from Hogwarts?" Hermione asked with a look of utter disapproval to her best friend.

"I wasn't going to steal it. I would sneak it back in at the start of next term."

Hermione could not believe what she was hearing. She knew that Tom loved to read and was adamant about finding out what the Sorting Hat was referring to, but she could not understand why he would go so far as to take a book from Hogwarts, the school that gave them everything they had ever wanted.

"Tom, you cannot do this. You can just read it very quickly, or finish it when we come back."

"I don't understand what the problem is. I'm going to return the book when we come back. I'm not stealing it."

Hermione gave Tom a pleading look. "What if someone catches you? It's wrong! Please, Tom, don't take the book." Tom looked at his dear friend with confusion still set in his mind. However, in the end, he could not deny her what she wanted.

With a large sigh, Tom nodded his head and quickly went on his way towards the dungeons. When he arrived, Alphard Black and Abraxus tried to persuade Tom to play with them, but he wouldn't have it. He ignored the boys and went into his room, which was fortunately empty.

This was the first quarrel he had ever had with Hermione, and it left him feeling utterly confused. Since when did they disagree over anything? She knew how much he has been researching to find out who Gaunt is. Now that he had found a book that could possibly help him, she tells him he is wrong to take it? _I thought I could tell her everything,_ Tom thought. _If she disagrees with me, maybe I shouldn't tell her everything._

However, when Tom had promised Hermione he would not take the book to the orphanage, he meant it. For the rest of the week, Tom almost never left his room, choosing to finish the book before leaving Hogwarts.

He read the genealogies of many pure-blood families, including the Malfoys and the Blacks, and Tom had begun to understand the connection between the lineage and their wealth and power. It seemed that the more pure-blooded one was the more power they controlled.

On his fourth day of researching, Tom had finally found his answer. He landed at the Peverell family tree and saw the name Marvolo Gaunt on the second last branch. While researching, Tom had thought that he may have been named Marvolo after his father. However, looking at the genealogy, the last Marvolo Gaunt had only two children, Morfin and Merope Gaunt. He then inferred that he must have been named after his grandfather, and one of the children must be his parents. Looking at the brief biographies of the children, he realised that Morfin was the son, and Merope was the daughter. Since Tom's last name was Riddle, and not Gaunt, he assumed that Merope must have been his mother, and she had changed her name when she married his father.

These observations satisfied Tom, and as he was about to close the book in satisfaction, he looked up to the top of the page, at the first branches of the family tree. There, he saw two separate branches that eventually linked together through marriage. One was the branch of Cadmus Peverell; the other was the branch of Salazar Slytherin.

.O.

Tom needed more answers. Could he really be the heir of Slytherin, and if he was, what powers could he obtain? Ever since entering Hogwarts, he had been envious of the pure-blooded students' power and wealth. He, who had always lived with nothing, could now become one of the most powerful and wealthiest wizards alive, all due to his lineage. He and Hermione would never have to live in the orphanage again. He knew that to get the right answers, he would have to speak to someone. At that point, he did not think it wise to tell any students or teachers, including Hermione. With their last argument still fresh in his mind, he was wary of Hermione's judgement on the matter. He decided to speak to the one who had told him of his lineage in the first place, and see if he could obtain any more information from it.

During that past year, Tom had become admired by the staff, including Headmaster Armando Dippet. If he could get into his office, he knew he could persuade the man to let him borrow the hat. He went to the office of his potions professor, Horace Slughorn. The man adored Tom, and would do anything for the boy if he asked.

When Tom arrived at his professor's office, he knocked on the open door to alert the man of his presence.

"Oh, welcome, Tom. Did you have a problem with your final marks in the class?" Slughorn looked at him with humour in his eyes. The man knew Tom would have no problem with his mark, seeing as how he and Hermione had both received the highest marks in the class. However, Tom played along with the professor's joke.

"Of course not, Professor. I am very flattered that you would give me such a high grade. I hardly think I deserve it," he replied with a saccharine smile on his face. Something about Horace Slughorn had always annoyed Tom.

"Nonsense, my dear boy, you and Miss Granger both earned the high grades you received. We all expect great things from the two of you in the upcoming years. Now, what can I help you with, Tom?"

"I was hoping you could take me to Headmaster Dippet's office, sir. I must ask him if it would be possible if Hermione and I stay at Hogwarts during the summer, rather than go the orphanage. The school has truly become a home for the two of us."

"Well, that is quite a request. Hogwarts has never allowed students to stay during the summer, but there have never been better candidates than the two of you, either. I'd be glad to take you to see Armando, Tom."

Tom knew that Dippet would most likely refuse the proposal. As much as the headmaster is fond of Tom, he would not like the school councillors to be aggravated at any decisions he makes.

Slughorn took him as far as the entrance to the headmaster's office and admitted that although he would like to help Tom more and hear what the headmaster would say, it would be rude of him to stay. Tom agreed, and entered Dippet's office alone.

"Hello, Mr. Riddle. How may I help you today?" Headmaster Dippet was a feeble old man with long white hair on his head and chin. He was hardly seen around the school much, and was known to be rather passive.

"Good afternoon, sir. There were two matters I would like to discuss with you." Tom knew he had to keep up the impression that he wanted to stay in school in case Slughorn speaks to Dippet of this further. "Firstly, I would like to ask if it would be possible for myself and Hermione Granger to stay in Hogwarts this summer. The school has served as more of a home to us this year than the orphanage ever has."

Dippet seemed to ponder over Tom's request for a moment. "My boy, there's nothing I would like better than to help you and your friend. However, I'm afraid that the councillors would find it unwise and dangerous, and I cannot go against the wishes of the councillors. I'm very sorry." The old man seemed uncomfortable and wanted to end the conversation as quickly as possible.

"I understand sir. I knew that it would be unlikely, but I thought I should at least try. My second request is to borrow the Sorting Hat."

"The Sorting Hat? Why would you need that, Tom?"

"This year has been difficult without Hermione in the same house as mine, and I wanted to ask the hat why it chose to place us in different houses. Would that be alright, sir?"

Dippet allowed Tom to wear the hat, not wanting to lengthen the conversation any longer.

_Hello again, young Gaunt. Haven't I already placed you in Slytherin? Or are you going to ask why I didn't let Miss Granger be placed there as well?_

_Actually,_ Tom replied in his head, _I wanted to ask you about the name you call me. Is my mother Merope Gaunt? Am I truly a descendant of the Slytherin line?_

_Yes, your mother was Merope Gaunt. The Gaunt family has a direct lineage to Salazar Slytherin himself. Most pure-blooded families have a lineage to the other three founders, but the Slytherins and Gaunts were more particular about who they bred with. They were known to inbreed, you see._

_So then I am a pureblood? The purest of purebloods?_

_Not quite, young Gaunt. Although your mother's lineage was the purest of blood, your father was nothing more than a common muggle. You were named after him, young Tom Riddle Junior. You are a half-blood._

_How did my mother, a descendant of Slytherin himself, get involved with a common muggle?_

_Rumour has it that your mother fell in love with Tom Senior and gave him a love potion so he would love her back. However, in the end, the potion wore off, and your father left Merope for good._

Tom was speechless. His mother, a descendant of the noblest and most powerful wizard of all time, fell in love with a lowly muggle? And that muggle did not even love her to begin with? How could his blood be so… tainted?

**AN: Please review, and tell me what you thought.  
>~MAH<strong>


	7. Chapter 7: Emotions

**AN: Sorry for the long wait for this one. The past few months have been fairly busy, and I'm pretty lucky to be able to post this one now. I have a midterm this Friday, and decided to post this while taking a break from studying. **

**With this era comes some moments in history, both muggle and wizarding, that I think would have affected both Tom and Hermione's psyche. Anyhow, please read and review as much as you can. The reviews can really keep me going!**

The shock, disappointment, and anger that invaded Tom's emotions still dwelt in his mind by the time he and Hermione returned to the orphanage at the end of their first year. He still could not understand why a woman like Merope Gaunt, who virtually had the most distinct lineage and the purest of blood, would fall into the unwilling hands of a muggle.

If Tom had learnt anything from his observations in the wizarding world that past year, it was that the wizarding society was given the gift of magic for a reason. The magic that was handed to a witch or wizard by birthright gave one the power to heal, kill, mend, or destroy. No weapon of the past or the future of muggle society could match the power of a wizard's tool.

Understanding the power of magic, Tom also understood why only a fraction of the world's population was given this gift. Those people were the only ones who can withstand and control the powers granted to them.

"Are you alright, Tom? You've been acting strangely ever since coming back from school," Hermione asked with worry in her eyes.

"It's just been hard readjusting to this lifestyle," Tom replied with a reassuring smile. "These books seem less interesting after the past year, don't you think?"

Looking at the stack of books beside them, Hermione shook her head with a large smile on her face. "Not at all, Tom. This life and that life each hold a special and separate place in my heart. Although I've loved this past year, I also love this library and my books and Mr. Harrison. Don't you feel the same?"

Thinking about Hermione's question, Tom realised that he did not feel the same way as her. Although he did enjoy some things about this life, there was nothing there that would make him want to stay. Other than Hermione's friendship, there was nothing he cherished that came from the orphanage.

Although he tried, Tom could not concentrate on the novel he was currently reading. Looking around, he found a newspaper lying on the table beside them. Tom stood up and skimmed through it, finding many of the titles displayed drawing him in: _Japanese Forces Invade China; British Attempt to Negotiate Commissions Between Arab and Jewish States; Earhart and Noonan Still Missing; Battle of Brunete Continues._

It seemed that every article proved Tom's previous conclusions. The muggle world was filled with conflict and chaos even without the power of magic. Tom could not even imagine what upheaval would arise in the hands of muggles if given said power. He was sure that they were not given that power for a reason.

The next few years greatly increased Tom's beliefs about the muggle world. In the first week of Hermione and Tom's third year of Hogwarts, the world was informed that Germany had invaded Poland, which was followed by France, Britain, and various Commonwealth countries declaring war on Germany.

Although the war did not physically affect the wizarding world, due to various charms and wards placed around all key areas, it had struck Tom's psyche greatly. During the summer break, Tom had seen drastic change occur in the muggle world, and could not help but compare that to the relative harmony in their wizarding world.

With the London Blitz occurring for most of the summer break before their fourth year, Tom heard the sound of blasts and the rumbling of the ground sprouting from the nightly air strikes throughout London. It had been pure luck that the orphanage had not been struck directly. Large amounts of debris had caused one wall of the orphanage to crumble almost completely. Deeming it unsafe to live in those quarters, most of the children were forced to share rooms until the wall could be rebuilt.

It was well into the night, but Tom could still hear the sirens outside. He could still feel Hermione clutched tightly around him, shaking like a small leaf caught by the wind. Even though they had not been hurt by the air strikes, the two children were greatly affected by them for another reason completely.

Halfway through the summer break, when the air strikes had only just begun, Hermione and Tom were making their now rare visits to the library. Mrs. Cole had deemed it unsafe to walk every day to the library as they had been doing in past years, and they could now only visit once every week or two.

Tom and Hermione made their way through the streets, dodging stones and wood splayed around them. Everyday the children would wake to find the streets outside of their orphanage slightly different from the day before- more debris, more smoke, and more death.

Hermione walked ahead, desperately trying to avoid the eyes of the men and women who had just lost their homes and lives. To see the despair in their forms made Hermione feel so helpless and insignificant. She could not help but feel greatly privileged in comparison to others around her- a feeling she had never felt before.

The grief she had for them could not compare to the rush of emotions she felt when seeing the library- _their_ library, owned by the loving Mr. Harrison- demolished. The tall, old building that was once filled with a multitude of tragedies and romances lied on the ground in heaps of soot and burning wood.

Hermione stood where the entrance used to stand, speechless. The majority of the joyful memories she cherished took place in that library. To her, it was as if all the characters she had come to hold dear were lost with the library. All the lords, ladies, detectives, pirates, kings, queens, and jesters were burned alive.

_But what of Mr. Harrison, _she thought to herself. _Is there any chance he was in the building when the air strikes occurred?_

Hermione was shaking uncontrollably and soon fell to her knees, losing control of her legs. She felt Tom's warm hands holding her by the shoulders, trying to convey a sense of comfort and stability.

"Hermione, we should go back. You should not look at this."

Tom's presence began to bring Hermione's senses forth. "No, not yet. There's something we need to do first." Hermione gathered enough strength to push herself off the ground. When she began to walk towards the ruins, Tom snatched her hand, trying to gain her attention.

Tom gave her a look of concern. Understanding that she felt emotional, he did not want her to do anything rash that could be dangerous. With a quick nod, Hermione let go of Tom's hand and made her way through the piles of destroyed wood. She tried to find anything that was still intact. Anything that could be retrieved was considered a miracle in her mind. She continuously had to stop retrieving books to clear her eyes from the tears that kept falling.

Tom looked at Hermione trotting in and out of the library ruins. Every time she came out with a handful of books, her face looked wetter and dirtier. Tom couldn't help but wonder why he wasn't crying or searching desperately for any books he could rescue. He had spent just as much time in the library as Hermione, if not more. However, the only thing he cared about, and the only thing that caused him to enter the library's ruins, was Hermione's safety.

By the time they returned to the orphanage, they had collected about fifteen books in total. Hermione and Tom quickly ran up the stairs with the stacks of books, making sure that no one saw them so dirty. They did not want any word of this to reach Mrs. Cole's ears, who would assume that they had stolen the books, or force them to distribute them to all the children. They quickly stacked the books against a wall in Tom's room and made their way into the washroom.

Now that their task was complete, Hermione had nothing to distract herself from the fear and despair she felt. The steady onslaught of tears that flowed since they had seen the library flowed even heavier. Her worry for Mr. Harrison's life was more than her young heart can manage. She quickly sat on the toilet, fearing that she would not be able to hold herself up any longer.

Tom allowed her a moment to show her emotions, and then quickly set to work on cleaning her up. Grabbing a rag next to the sink and dampening it, he began to wipe off the dirt and tears from Hermione's face.

"Come now, Hermione. You'll spoil my work if you keep crying like that," He said gently, trying to sound humourous.

"I'm sorry, Tom. I can't help but fear for Mr. Harrison. What if he had been in the library?"

"The strikes have all happened late at night. It's highly unlikely that he would have still been in the library that late. You have no reason to worry."

"If he is alive, what will he do now? His life's work and passion has just crumbled to the ground as if it was something of no importance. I just don't understand how anyone could do this, or allow this to happen."

Tom replied in a quiet, cold tone, "This is what muggles do, Hermione. All they know is to destroy and bring chaos. We'll be better off once this summer is over and we are back in Hogwarts. I can ask Dippet to let us stay in the castle next summer."

Tom pulled Hermione up to the sink so she can wash her hands and dry her face. After quickly cleaning himself up, the pair returned to Tom's room, where they quickly found an area in Tom's wardrobe to hide the books.

Well into the night, Tom could still occasionally feel new patches of dampness on his shirt due to Hermione crying in her sleep. He had felt shock when he had seen his and Hermione's library in a crumbled heap, but nothing more. He had not the felt the earth-shattering grief and worry that Hermione had still clearly felt for the building and its owner. He had, however, felt worry and grief for Hermione. To see her like this only reminded Tom of how little he can protect her from the chaos of this world.

_But I will always try_, he thought to himself. _I will always protect you from your evils, Hermione, and from now on, I will succeed._

**AN: Again, please review and tell me what you thought!**

**P.S. I've been thinking of writing a oneshot, but I don't know what pairing to do. If anyone has any ideas let me know! I think I'd be willing to write any pairing other than Hermione/Ron... because... it doesn't seem right to me. **

**~MAH**


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